->''Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods.''-->--'''Creator/{{Aristotle}}'''

I Just Want To Have Friends, like TheFourLoves, is a form of WishFulfillment answering to the desire that some members of the audience have to form many close friendships. A probable reason this is so common in fictional media is the fact that a high amount of people consider themselves to have very few or no friends at all.[[labelnote:*]] [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15231_7-reasons-21st-century-making-you-miserable.html some studies]] have shown that the majority of people have at most two [[TrueCompanions good friends]] while 1/4 of people don’t have anyone they would [[SecretKeeper trust with a huge secret]].[[/labelnote]] As this is not limited to real life however, many fictional [[ShrinkingViolet shy people]] and those with [[FriendlessBackground few or no friends]] look for the same fulfillment as the reader, leading to two variants of this trope:

'''Type A'''

While "[[RuleOfCool doing something really cool]]" is the focus of most fantasies, they also tend to focus on the [[TrueCompanions friendships]] the characters have. These fantasies often provide "idealized" friends that the audience presumably doesn’t have. While in RealLife a true friendship needs time and investment, in this kind of fantasy setting often [[EscapistCharacter the protagonist]] will obtain tailor-made deep bonds and friendships with little to no time or effort at all.

This also happens in RealLife online, where e-relationships eliminate most of the usual hardships of making friends and they help shy people to open themselves and show [[BeneathTheMask how they really are]] without [[{{GIFT}} worrying about their self image]].

'''Type B'''

Sometimes fictional characters do not so easily get friends handed to them with the plot. They are lonely from the start and desperately looking to make and keep friends. The reasons for their loneliness may vary but in the end a character who really wants friends may either try to go about it in the wrong way, make friends with the wrong people, or secretly angst about it behind a [[StepfordSmiler diffident facade]]. If they end up successful more often than not these fictional characters will turn out to have been [[BeautifulAllAlong sociable all along]], especially for {{Shrinking Violet}}s, {{Hollywood Nerd}}s, {{Cool Loser}}s etc.

In RealLife, this trope is defined psychologically as the "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belongingness need to belong]]".

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]* Gohan in ''DragonballZ''. He spent much of his childhood being home-schooled, and mostly interacted with people his parents knew. In his first day of high school, he got friends very easily and some dates.* This is the wish [[Anime/YuGiOh Yugi Mutou]] made on the Millennium Puzzle.* Usagi Tsukino from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' developed her relationships with relative ease due to discovering a shared history through {{Reincarnation}}, and BecauseDestinySaysSo. Since multiple TrueCompanions are also her reincarnated HeroSecretService, she's essentially the center of their social circle.* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' kicks off with the titular character switching from Type B to Type A. Previously alone and desparate for friends, Iruka's encouragement and Team 7 helps Naruto finally succeed in gaining friends and respect. Often the friendships build slowly, but he is also noted to have the [[ThePowerOfFriendship strange power to quickly become friends with anyone]], [[DefeatMeansFriendship even his enemies]].* Russia from ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia''. Himaruya's new profile on him points out that he truly wants to have new friends* This is stated to be Ayumu Nishizawa's original intention in confessing to Hayate in ''Manga/HayateTheCombatButler''. It seemed to have evolved into true affection for him by the second time, resolving back to simple friendship later as she realized that Hinagiku really loves him, and the acceptance that both Hinagiku, the rest of the Baka Trio and Nagi have accepted her and she no longer needs to fear being left behind by him.** In opposition to the style of the trope type, it did appear that there is lots of work and effort being put into building and strengthing these friendships, since she's not the main character, it's not been focused on though.* The main motivation for Nano, the [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Ridiculously Human]] RobotGirl from ''{{Nichijou}}'', to [[IJustWantToBeNormal want to be normal]] is this.* Miho of ''Anime/GirlsUndPanzer'' is this in the prequel manga, ''Little Army'', which reveals that her friends, Emi, Chihiro and Hitomi, are the only people she's known with any real interest in tanks, which is why she tries so hard to keep the group together.* Luffy from ''Anime/OnePiece'' is a walking definition of this trope, able to make friends with even the "Demon Pirate Hunter" Zoro, and Nami, a girl who harbored an intense hatred of pirates due to Arlong's occupation of her home town. Mihawk himself commented about how Luffy has "the most powerful ability of all; the ability to make allies wherever he goes".[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Fic]]* There are probably too many fanfics to list that appeal to this wish. The appeal of the BlackHoleSue and The PuritySue are arguably derived from this wish (as well as the specific desire to have certain characters as friends, including characters that in canon are normally distrustful).[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' fulfills this wish. Despite not lifting a finger to gain friends, Bella being the [[AudienceSurrogate audience avatar]] gets friends in high school remarkably easy. Even when she forgets her {{Muggle}} friends for Edward Cullen or Jacob Black (ignoring them for months in ''NewMoon'') these friends are always there for her regardless.** Both the Cullens and the werewolves look out for her despite the risk she brought to them. They happily accept her in their group of TrueCompanions as a friend without an effort on her part despite the fact that both factions are normally not very open to [[{{Muggle}} average humans]].* ''[[{{Foundation}} Foundation and Empire]]:'' The Mule goes through childhood and adolescence without ''anyone '''ever''''' liking him "naturally" (as opposed to being forced to do so by his psychic powers). Not until he's well into his twenties does he meet Bayta Darell, who has genuine affection for him (possibly because he's TheWoobie). He's so overwhelmed by the feeling of just being ''liked'' that he [[spoiler: inadvertantly, carelessly, lets her ruin his plans for conquering the Second Foundation]].* Kaori from ''Literature/PhantomsReckoning 2'' grew up [[Main/FriendlessBackground with no real friends]], the only person she could consider a friend was her father [[Main/DaddysGirl whom she loved]], but he died tragically four years before the story's events. When she meets Yuki in the present day, this becomes her chance to make friends who can help her out in life. Kaori lets Yuki know multiple times that he's the first friend she ever had, and that she's glad to have him as a friend.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action Television]]* On ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', this is a main driving point behind Faith's actions. She really wants to be friends with Buffy but it never really happens. Then they do start becoming friends and she accidentally kills a man and pretends not to care, destroying the friendship they had been building. The comics touch on this, with her angsting over how she pushes away anyone who is the least bit decent to her.** This is Jonathan in ''spades''. He starts off as a depressed loner trying to commit suicide, then he creates a spell which makes him a talented superstar that everybody loves. After that fails, he teams up with Warren and Andrew, the only friends he's ever really had, before being promptly murdered by the latter. Poor guy just can't catch a break.* In ''ICarly'', Freddie and Sam's lives are centered towards [[EscapistCharacter Carly]]. Without Carly there wouldn't be a friendship between them because Sam and Freddie dislike each other. However, neither of the two will hesitate to please her.* In ''{{Smallville}}'', Clark himself fulfills this wish as he easily befriends "exotic" people all the time. Not only are his close friends loyal to him but also their lives are also centered towards him (Cloe Sullivan, Pete Ross, Lana Lang, etc.).* In ''WizardsOfWaverlyPlace'' while Alex Russo [[FriendlessBackground might not be the most popular person]], her friend Harper is a loyal best friend.* In the "Reverend Jim, A Space Odyssey" episode from ''{{Taxi}}'', it's clear that Jim, a burned-out hippie, is desperate to find one, so the rest of the cabbies decide to turn him into a taxi driver too. Needless to say, this also changed the show in many aspects.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]* [=RPGs=] are in general designed in part to fulfill this desire as more often than not BecauseDestinySaysSo the hero will be the leader and part of a group of TrueCompanions. A specific example can be found in Marona, the main character of ''VideoGame/PhantomBrave''. --> "One day... everyone will come to like you, if you treat them with kindness."* {{Subverted}} by most {{First Person Shooter}}s as you almost always end as a OneManArmy Lone Wolf. 90% of the time you do have people helping you, they're [[RedShirtArmy generic soldiers that die just as easily as your enemies]]. For a glorious exploration to this approach, see ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine''.* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. Believe it or not, some people are just in it for the social activities ('I just want to feel useful in the raid'), even if the game is one of the [[{{GIFT}} least conducive place]] to do so.* ''VideoGame/TheSims''. Don't have cool friends? Make Sims.* ''SecondLife''* ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'' doesn't throw out destiny. You have to fight to earn your crew's trust, and to build your team's capabilities and the coherence of the group to a point where they will follow you through hell and back.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]* Ron Stoppable from ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' is both Type A and B, in that he wants to be popular. However, though he doesn't have many friends, the ones he has ''are'' very close.** Actually, as [[TheMovie 'So The Drama']] pointed out at the end, both Kim and Ron have a lot of friends - as the [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming crowd at the dance broke out in cheers for them]] when [[AlphaBitch Bonnie]] [[InsultBackfire tries to embarrass them by announcing that they're a couple]].* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb''** The fireside girls are this to Isabella Garcia Shapiro, as they more often than not bend towards her desires (despite most of them being centered towards Phineas)** Phineas is easily the most popular kid on the show, even being friends with the bully.** The "bully" himself is this. He's not very good at relating to people, which makes him lonely and bored, both of which cause him to act like a fairly stereotypical bully. And no, not in the sense that he's "jealous of you." Some episodes make it clear that he's actually a subversion, though.* In ''WesternAnimation/WinxClub'', Bloom fulfils this desire because at the beginning of the show she was not very popular until she suddenly found she was actually a MagicalGirl and quickly became the leader and center of attention of her TrueCompanions.* Not even the Princess of Snark, {{Daria}} Morgendorffer, is wholly immune from this. The "brain" at Lawndale High School, Daria is largely self-sufficent and content to watch and comment from the outside. But at a time when a guy called Tom is straining their friendship, Daria reflects that to be fully functional, she needs ''just enough'' friends. She frets, and is seriously concerned by, the possibility that she has lost her best buddy Jane Lane forever - all over some guy. [[/folder]]

----!!Type B examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]* Misao Amano from ''MagicalProjectS'' is very timid, though she desires to be more social like her friend Sasami and tried in the 1st episode to befriend a boy. She was ultimately very shy to even say hello but at the end of the series she got more confident.* Sailor Mercury and Sailor Jupiter from ''Franchise/SailorMoon'' were both very timid and people (wrongfully) avoided them (Mercury because people thought she was arrogant, and Jupiter for being tall and strong) until they got deep true friends in their TrueCompanions.** ''Anime/SailorMoon R: TheMovie'' puts all the inner senshi in this position. Rei didn't have friends because she was regarded as creepy, Minako had become an outsider because she didn't have time to spend with her classmates.* [[spoiler:Starrk and Lilynette]] from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. That was their only reason for joining the Espada in the first place. Even more, it was the reason they split into two separate beings.** [[TheHero Ichigo]] actually believes this was the reason [[spoiler: [[BigBad Aizen]]]] wanted him to become his WorthyOpponent after their final battle, citing the loneliness he felt from their clash as proof. Kubo confirms that the vast power difference between him and his peers made [[spoiler: Aizen]] distrusted in his youth, ostracizing him from others. At the same time, he also [[LackOfEmpathy disregarded]] that he was ''beloved'' as a captain (especially by Hinamori), and he even pitted friends against one another to suit his plans.* Shizuo Heiwajima from ''Literature/{{Durarara}}'' admits that he craves any sort of social interaction, but is ''terrified'' of exposing innocent people to his HairTriggerTemper and hurting them. Things start looking up for him from volume 4 onwards when he starts getting some control over his rage issues (he manages get through a small party without losing his temper, develop a couple {{Intergenerational Friendship}}s, and [[spoiler:go on something resembling a normal date with a girl -- even if said girl is a bit AxeCrazy, [[InLoveWithYourCarnage In Love With His Carnage]], and secretly plotting his murder]]), but he still has a long way to go.* The very plot of ''LightNovel/BokuWaTomodachiGaSukunai'' and as the title name suggests, all the characters in the story have trouble making friends, so the heroine Yozora started a club for these kind of people.* Many characters from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (in fact, the moral of the show is arguably that the ENTIRE HUMAN RACE falls into this category), but particularly emotionally troubled, socially awkward and manically depressed protagonist Shinji Ikari.* Russia from ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' is a PsychopathicManchild version. He's scary, mean, childish... and really wants to have new friends, according to his profile and his LighterAndFluffier portrayal in the latest strips.** To a lesser extent, England. It's what motivated the Anglo-Japanese Alliance in the first place.** Humorously [[AvertedTrope averted]] with America. England ''thinks'' that America must fit this trope (and he has a point, America's character profile makes it pretty clear that he would have a FriendlessBackground if not for England and Japan), but apparently America is still confident enough to [[AllLoveIsUnrequited cheerfully reject England's offer of friendship.]]* [[spoiler:Greed]] from ''Manga/FullmetalAlchemist'', not that he would admit it out loud.* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'':** [[MemeticMutation "I'm not afraid of anything anymo-"]] [[CruelAndUnusualDeath *CHOMP*]] The line was said by [[spoiler:Tomoe Mami]], a MagicalGirl who have been fighting witches alone for years. When she finally found a friend in Madoka, she was so happy that she dropped her guard in fighting a sandworm-like Witch, which then [[spoiler:proceeded to chomp her head.]] Well, considering that according to a CD drama,[[spoiler: She has teamed up with Kyouko, but they had a nasty fallout afterwards, which led to her fighting witches all by herself, which makes it sadder that she probably had trust issues with people, too]].** Also:--> '''[[AntiHero Akemi Homura]]''': "[[spoiler:I'll repeat it. I'll continue to repeat it over and over. Visiting the same time again and again, searching for the single exit out]]. Searching for the path to save you from a fate of despair." "Madoka... my one and OnlyFriend. If it's... If it's for you, I have no problem [[spoiler:[[GroundhogDayLoop being trapped eternally in this maze]]]]."* ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' gives this type as the backstory for the titular character. Before the story proper began, the adults of the village scorned him because of [[SealedEvilInACan the Kyuubi]] and told their children to stay away from him. As a result he spent the majority of his childhood desperately alone. His [[StepfordSmiler constant smiling]] and [[SadClown pranking]] were simply methods for gaining some form of acknowledgement.* [[spoiler:[[ShrinkingViolet Arthur Barma]]]] from PandoraHearts was a shy social outcast living in a foreign land after his family was overthrown in his home country, and he was extremely uncomfortable with his friendlessness. He finally made a friend in [[spoiler:Jack Vessalius]], though it turned out that [[spoiler:[[FalseFriend Jack was only using him for what Barma could do for him]].]]* ''Manga/{{Beelzebub}}'' had a couple of examples. The main one was actually the protagonist himself, shown in flashback, before he met his best friend Furuichi. Oga even developed a dislike of people walking behind him becuase of it, since people used to talk behind his back ''and'' he couldn't protect potential friends from getting hurt becuase of his fights if they were back there. [[spoiler:Furuichi's determination and statement that he would walk beside Oga instead of behind him is what would start their lifelong friendship.]]** The other is [[LonelyRichKid Himekawa]], who subtly shows that he envies Kanzaki for his loyal "underlings" and sometimes even Oga for having Furuichi around. Turns out his best friend as a kid betrayed him in middle school, messing him up. [[spoiler:Oh, and said best friend turned out years later to be secretly female and ''in love with him'']] possibly making things worse. He seems mostly-content with his current TrueCompanions status with the group, though, and is willing to spend millions of dollars seemingly at the drop of a hat if they need him to. [[spoiler:To the point that he played FakeDefector with a rival gang, bought a machine worth millions in order to cut off Oga from Beel and build up demonic energy. Then, when there was enough energy to beat the rival gang's boss, he broke the machine and dismissed the wasted money as "pocket change." However, the strongest indication of his [[TrueCompanions True Companionship]] is when he is revealed to bear Beel's King's Crest, which is only bestowed upon those who swear their allegiance to a king (in this case, Oga and Beel).]]* In ''Manga/KotouraSan'', this is how [[BrokenBird Haruka Kotoura]] [[HiddenDepths really feels deep down]] paradoxically to her JerkassFacade saying "LeaveMeAlone". [[DeconstructedTrope Deconstructed]] since she sees herself to be a DoomMagnet because of her [[PowerIncontinence inadvertent]] {{Telepathy}} and has a major GuiltComplex stemming from her [[FriendlessBackground once]] ChildhoodFriends [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer abandoning her]] for "[[MindOverManners abusing]]" said {{Telepathy}}. Ergo, she feels unworthy to have friends in the first place.* Played straight by [[NewTransferStudent Chihiro]] [[NiceGirl Watanuki]] from ''Manga/YugamiKunNiWaTomodachiGaInai.'' Her family has moved around all her life and because of this, she decided to [[SafetyInIndifference distance herself]] from others, not seeing a need to establish friendships when she'd soon be forced to move away again. By the beginning of the series, she's moved into a town where she'll stay for years to come and this turns her from indifferent to almost desperate for friends. While Chihiro plays this trope straight, [[TheHero Yugami]] ''averts'' it. He doesn't want or need friends and even shows displeasure when Chihiro eats lunch beside him in class.* Tomoko from ''Manga/NoMatterHowILookAtItItsYouGuysFaultImNotPopular'' expected to get Type A upon entering High School, because she had experienced High School Life so often in Dating Sim and Otome games. But she quickly realized that this was not the case and is now Type B, and lowering her initial goal of "becoming popular" to "becoming friends with someone" to finally just "talk to someone in school today". Her struggles of trying to get friends is a focus of the series.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comics]]* Eddie Bloomberg aka Kid Devil had very few friends his age throughout his early history, the closest people being his aunt Marla and the hero Blue Devil. His later efforts to gain super powers and joining the Teen Titans were partly from IJustWantToBeSpecial, but also because he desperately needed some kind of family unit. When he fears he's losing his friends, he ends up inviting fans of his over to the tower, which ends up in disaster and causes him to become even more alienated. This is used against Eddie by Clock King when he brainwashes him into a violent monster, and Miss Martian has to remind him that he does have friends in order to bring him back to sanity.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanfiction]]* In ''Fanfic/KyonBigDamnHero'', Tsuruya used to be one of these.* ''FanFic/DrawnWithTheNight'': ''[[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Celestia]]'', underneath her regal exterior, eagerly desires to have friends, rather than ponies who treat her like a goddess. She is downcast when Klein, a smart and resourceful individual, coldly tells her he wants nothing to do with her after being mistreated by Twilight and Luna, and treats her with all the fear and reverence one would expect to be given to a PhysicalGod. The TearsOfRemorse start to flow when Fancy claims to be doing work for "Celestia", and not the "Princess".* [[Fanfic/DeliverUsFromEvilSeries Mortality]] [[BewareTheNiceOnes Watson]] [[TranquilFury unremorsefully]] [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]] this with a [[BadassBoast boast]] when [[LivingEmotionalCrutch Holmes is captured and tortured with an inch of his life.]]** "If your master's actions destroy him whom I regard as-as the best and wisest man I have ever known, make no mistake that I shall hunt down, to a man, everyone who played a part in his destruction."[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]* Toby from the film ''Film/{{Shorts}}'' wants friends so badly he makes a wish on a wishing stone for friends "as interesting and unique as I am" and gets a bunch of extraterrestrials for friends.* The eponymous main character from the horror movie ''Film/{{May}}'' is a strange girl who doesn't have any friends, but ends up [[FrankensteinsMonster making one...]]* It is suggested by ''Film/TheSocialNetwork'' that Mark Zuckerberg (the character as well as the real-life person) falls into this category, and is hardly subtle in demonstrating the irony of a man (or man-boy) creating a revolutionary tool for connecting friends and in the process driving away his own.* At the beginning of the 2000 remake of ''Film/{{Bedazzled|2000}}'', Elliot's blatant desire for friends is made painfully obvious, to the point where everyone actively avoids his ham-fisted efforts.* Holmes and Watson in Flim/SherlockHolmes and Film/SherlockHolmesAGameOfShadows were this. At the end of the second film, Watson says "He was the best....and wisest man I have ever known." after [[HeroicSacrifice Holmes's sacrifice for Watson.]]* Kane from ''Film/CitizenKane'' is an example very similar to ''The Social Network''. He ultimately drives away all his friends with his egotistical personality and self-centeredness, becoming LonelyAtTheTop.* Chip Douglas from ''Film/TheCableGuy'' is a villainous twist on this trope, as his desperate attempts to become the main character's friend gradually shift from mere social awkwardness to obsessive stalking.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]* The King in ''Literature/TheLittlePrince'' is implied to be this. Note how desperately he tries to get the Little Prince to stay.* Literature/SherlockHolmes and Watson were this. Holmes never bothered to make friends and Watson had few friends, and no surviving family, and is either unmarried or a widower, though [[NotSoStoic Holmes panics when Watson is shot]] and [[BigBrotherInstinct is the ONLY person of all people to keep his friend safe from harm]] which is ''[[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming very sweet]]'' and ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome very awesome]]''. It's [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesomely]] [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming sweet.]] * In ''Literature/HarryPotter'':** Remus Lupin comes off a bit like this. There are more than a few instances where he goes against his own better judgement because he really likes to have people like him, partly due to his ostracism over being a werewolf.** Luna Lovegood painted the main gang as her friends on her bedroom ceiling. This demonstrates how lonely she must have been before meeting them, considering her and the gang weren't particularly close. By the time she painted Harry & Co., it's arguable that she actually was that close to at least some of them. She often supports Harry when no one else will, and she seems to spend a lot of time with Ginny. The evidence placing her in this trope comes sooner than this, in ''Half-Blood Prince'' when she says of the DA meetings, "It was like having friends".** According to WordOfGod, Snape hung out with the Death Eater Jr. gang and went on to join Voldemort with them partly because of this trope.*** As noted below, this is an accurate representation of how cults and terrorist organizations recruit.** Also, similar to Snape, Quirinus Quirrell went in search of Voldemort (maybe to defeat him in his weakened state) because people constantly laughed at him and teased him so he wanted to do something amazing to show them up.** Likewise, Ginny and Hermione started off this way. Ginny was very shy and meek and didn't have many friends, and the guy she had a crush on was way out of her league (she thinks). Hermione was an InsufferableGenius for two solid months, before she chilled out and became friends with Harry and Ron. because of her status as the InsufferableGenius, nobody wanted to be her friend, nobody liked her much.* In ''Literature/StillLifeWithCrows'', the real SerialKiller is a [[spoiler:PsychopathicManchild, hideously deformed from a broken back when he was little, monstrously strong thanks to a lifetime spent climbing a cave network. Since his only contact with the outside world was with his mother, all he wanted are some friends -- even if that included "playing" with them with lethal results.]]* ''Literature/JaneEyre''. Jane is so desperate for love and affection that she tells Helen Burns she'd happily let herself be kicked in the chest by a horse if it meant Helen and the Headmistress would care for her. Helen then shushes Jane and tells her to put more faith in God than in human companions.* Another Charlotte Brontë example: Lucy Snowe in Literature/{{Villette}} is overjoyed to be spending so much time with Dr. John despite the fact that he is a pretty big JerkAss to her because she has felt so alone all her life.* The main four characters of the Literature/CircleOfMagic series, although three of them would probably hate to admit it. They all come from a FriendlessBackground. Sandry is very cheerful and friendly, but her family constantly travelling made it difficult to form permanent relationships. Then almost all of her family was killed in a plague. Daja also probably had friends on her trader ship, but then everyone died in a storm and she was made an outcast from her society for being bad luck. Tris is naturally cranky and a jerk, and magical powers which made her seem like a possessed demon didn't help her. Finally, Briar Moss was a street rat who didn't seem to have very close friends. When they're all forced into a house together they do ''not'' get along very well, and only Sandry tries tries to make peace. Eventually through months of CharacterDevelopment they become TrueCompanions. (Although, [[spoiler: Sandry magically tying their magic together so they became psychically linked probably helped, too.]])* The chief motivation of the [[MasterComputer sapient supercomputer]] Mike in ''TheMoonIsAHarshMistress''. All he wants are some more "not-stupids" to talk to -- and he participates in the Loonie rebellion purely out of loyalty to the few friends he does have.* Hector, protagonist of the WebSerialNovel ''TheZombieKnight''. Combined with his [[ShrinkingViolet crippling shyness]], it has caused him [[{{Angst}} considerable difficulty]], [[spoiler: culminating in his suicide prior to the start of the story]].* Rachel from ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' wants to have friends, but her superpowers have overwritten her social instincts with canine ones and she tends to brutalize anyone who gets near her as a reflexive defense mechanism due to spending years on the run. It isn't until [[VillainProtagonist Taylor]], who is similarly friendless, comes along that Rachel actually gets a friend, because Taylor actually buts in the effort to get to know her and refuses to back down.* In Creator/VictoriaForester's ''Literature/TheGirlWhoCouldFly'', Piper's dream at the Fourth of July picnic. A brief moment of CommonalityConnection is broken by her previous isolation and the stories that are told about her.* ''Literature/FindingSnowflakes'' has this as one of the main goals for the main character, a SociallyAwkwardHero who is avoided due to his bad reputation and FaceOfAThug. Actually a deconstruction; unlike many examples of this trope, said main character doesn't just automatically get friends, as he would wish. Nobody welcomes him into a group they have already established, obviously, and it is not likely a person will welcome someone with bad credentials just because of a kind act. Poor Eliott is algo to blame since his NoSocialSkills status make it exceptionally difficult to actually ''interact'' with people, and when he does, it isn't always nice.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action Television]]* ''Series/FamilyTies'': "It's My Party" -- an episode that aired during the summer of 1987, even though it was produced during the fourth season) -- sees 14-year-old Jennifer in a funk in making friends, and bored with her unspectacular one. Pining to be one of the popular girls, falling in with a group of snobbish rich girls that seem to be the most popular clique. Instead of being "cool," they prove to be a bad influence on Jennifer, as she skips school, stays out past curfew and begins disrespecting her parents. It's only when her friends try to host a beer party at the Keatons, and they also press their luck by trying to make her spurn her friend, that these aren't the friends she wants to have, and is best off with that nerdy, unspectacular friend.* ''StepByStep'': The Season 3 episoce "Bad Girls" sees Al, desperate to make and keep friends, fall for a bad group of girls who wear military fatigues. Al tries standing her ground, which makes her father very angry, but Al finally sees her new friends for who they are when they talk her into stealing Cody's air guitar. Cody -- and a cooled-down Frank -- help Al understand [[AnAesop that choosing good friends is important and that those friendships aren't cultivated overnight]].* ''Series/{{Sherlock}}'': [[AllOfTheOtherReindeer Sherlock]] and [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife John]] were this. Sherlock's [[InSufferableGenius a rude, unpleasant, obnoxious arsehole]] and John's a [[ShrinkingViolet shy]], [[TheQuietOne quiet,]] [[NiceGuy nice]] [[DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife depressed war-veteran looking for a purpose in life.]] [[TearJerker Dang.]]* In ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' while Lex Luthor genuinely wants to trust people, his position in power plus the fact that he tends to be overprotective leads to him losing the few friends he has, making him fall into this. Tess Mercer too , according to her actress Cassidy Fremman: http://www.kryptonsite.com/season10-cassidyfreeman.htm * Ned from ''Series/NedsDeclassifiedSchoolSurvivalGuide'' wants to be a popular kid and manages to be in the popular table, but at the end he realizes that the popular table is where his friends are. CrowningMomentOfAwesome.* ''{{Taxi}}'': Louie [=DePalma=] earnestly tries to make everybody think that he [[IWorkAlone feels good alone]], but in many occasions its demonstrated that he needs to belong to some group, specially after [[FriendlessBackground not having a single friend during]] [[FreudianExcuse his high school years]]. Subverted with the fact that Reverend Jim considers him his "best friend".* Michael Scott from the American version of ''TheOffice'' exemplifies this trope. Episode after episode is based around the principle that he desperately wants to be loved by everyone, especially his employees, and that he's really rather lonely outside of the office. This is, in fact, the justification for most of his outlandish behavior -- he's trying to be a crowd-pleaser.* The Doctor from ''Series/DoctorWho'' has elements of this trope. Hundreds of years old, a genius, the last of his race- all of this makes him very isolated. Even when he does get friends, it's inevitable that he'll lose them eventually, either from old age, death, alternate dimensions, mind-wiping or just moving on with their lives or falling in love.** The fact that he was shown to plead with his ''arch-nemesis'' not to leave him probably shows just how lonely the Doctor really is.* In ''Series/{{Glee}}'' Rachel Berry, mostly in the second half of season one onwards. And each attempt goes horribly, ''horribly'' wrong. Improves in the second half of season two with her friendship with Kurt, Mercedes, and Blaine.* Barney from Series/HowIMetYourMother.* ''Series/{{Community}}'' explores this through its [[DysfunctionJunction various damaged characters]], all of whom fit this trope to a certain extent. Pierce has given up on having friends and acts aggressive, rude, and [[RacistGrandpa racist]] to cover up his loneliness; Jeff has hidden himself beneath layers of {{Hipster}}-y irony and detachment so that he won't be hurt by rejection (which goes back to [[FreudianExcuse various childhood traumas]]); Abed [[AmbiguousDisorder can't connect]] with other people except [[MetaGuy through pop culture]] but desperately wants to; Britta tries to make herself look [[WomenAreWiser smarter than everyone else]] so they'll respect her; the list goes on. It takes a good chunk of the first season for them to open up to each other. It's somehow all still hilarious.** In the episode "[[Recap/CommunityS2E09ConspiracyTheoriesAndInteriorDesign Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design]]" this is Dean Pelton's reason for conspiring with anyone who offers.** Also likely the reason that Chang is so desperate to join the study group.* On ''Series/TeenWolf'', Boyd accepts the bite when Derek offers it because he's tired of not having any friends, and becoming a part of Derek's pack means that he won't have to be alone anymore.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Music]]* [[{{Tearjerker}} "You Light Up My Life"]]. Probably the theme song for all the lonely people out there. http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/ly6.shtml[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]* Voldemort in ''AVeryPotterMusical'': "You think killing people might make them like you, but it doesn't. It just makes people dead."[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]* IllGirl Marion from ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIX'' is like this.* In the ''PuyoPuyo'' series, Seriri the Siren ''desperately'' want friends, but her paranoia that people may want to eat her flesh so they become immortal prevents her from achieving her wish.** The fact that Arle and the rest of the cast do little to convince her that her paranoia isn't entirely justified -- on occasion, Arle seems legitimately interested in eating her, less for immortality than because she's technically fish -- certainly doesn't help.* The new Water-type starter Oshawott from the upcoming 5th Generation Pokémon games has been the target of this (though it's starting to turn around) on a certain ImageBoard, with pictures ranging from the other two starters trolling him into thinking he's unliked to him being the last one to be picked (a fairly long time after the others)... by a [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming trainer who likes and wears blue as well and asks him to be his friend.]]* ''KingdomHearts'' has Namine, who was not only born alone, but was captured and locked away by the villainous Organization the moment she came into existence. Her desperate longing for a friend is what fuels most of her actions throughout the series, particularly Chain of Memories.* ''VideoGame/{{Okamiden}}'' has [[spoiler:Kurow. In fact, it's one of the reasons for his FaceHeelTurn.]]* In the VisualNovel ''KatawaShoujo'' [[spoiler:This is revealed to be major motivation for Shizune late in her path. Due to a combination of her deafness and her [[AbusiveParents upbringing]], she found it very hard to make friends and form relationships with others, resulting in her becoming a LonelyRichKid. When she came to Yamaku, she turned her efforts towards making other people happy in the hopes that would make them like her, which is the main reason why she joined the Student Council. However her drive combined with her [[SpiritedCompetitor competitiveness]] eventually caused her to drive nearly everyone else in the Council away except for her only friend and interpretor, Misha.]]* In ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R.]]'' and its sequels, this is really the driving force behind everything the insane, apocalyptically powerful Alma does: she wants a family. [[spoiler:In the first game, she's calling her long-lost sons to her, unaware that she'd kill them if she touched them, due to her overwhelming psychic power. In the second, she constantly pursues Beckett out of a desire to have a child with him, again unaware that he wouldn't survive contact with her. Throughout both games, she continually makes anguished cries, wondering why everyone, even those she loves, run from her and try to harm her.]]* ''ShinMegamiTensei'''s [[AliceAllusion Alice]] has this problem. Which makes it quite the TearJerker when you understand her motivations are genuine, except the poor girl has ''literally'' no idea of how to ''get'' friends due to a certain magical accident from which she CameBackWrong [[BackFromTheDead From the Dead]] (specifically, she remains an eternal girl, unable to grow or understand pain or death). She assumes this means not leaving her, ''ever'', equals being friends with her. Given her massive magical power, ''[[NightOfTheLivingMooks this]] [[NightmareFuelStationAttendant is a]] [[DarkMagicalGirl very bad]] [[LifeDrain thing]].''* Your partner in ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity''. The entire reason he's building Paradise is to attract like-minded Pokémon that he might befriend. * In ''VideoGame/BorderlandsThePresequel'' we learn that [[RobotBuddy Claptrap]] is basically a desperate, nearly-friendless loser in spite of his excessive gregariousness and obnoxious cheerfulness. One skill tree is designed to make him a useful support character in the hopes that the other Vault Hunters will have more reasons to like him (they still don't, naturally). He has a skill where he requests high-fives from his allies and gains and shares buffs if they reciprocate (or keeps them for himself if left hanging), and which will trigger even if he gets punched in the face by a bandit because he's just that needy for any sort of acknowledgement.-->"I'll take what I can get!"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]* In ''WebVideo/UltraFastPony'', Princess Luna. It's mentioned a few times in season one that no one ever visits or writes to her. In the episode "Utter Lunacy", her attempts to meet new ponies are hampered by having no idea what normal ponies talk like. When [[YouWereTryingTooHard she stops trying so hard]], she finally does befriend most of Ponyville--but this just makes her angry because she has no idea what she did differently.* Ventus in ''WebAnimation/KingdumbHearts: Bored to Sleep'', a parody of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep'', in which he basically just flies around from world to world asking people "Do you want to be my friend?"[[/folder]]

[[folder:Webcomics]]* In ''Webcomic/QuestionableContent'' Hannelore's initial attempt to befriend Marten came across as awkward and forced due to her limited social skills (since she grew up on a space station), and took a bad turn when Marten found out she'd been stalking him for some time. It turned out fairly well in the end though, and she's genuinely glad to have friends (it helps her deal with her OCD).* ''Webcomic/BittersweetCandyBowl'' has Lucy, who was ostracized by everyone in preschool; Mike was her first real friend, and when he later abandoned her in pursuit of his crush, then took her back, she became rather clingy. Augustus, likewise, has no friends at school (and a tough life in general) and fell in with a bad group as a result. Tess also had no friends before the main cast showed up, having lost them all after being a bully's girlfriend, then being dumped by (or dumping) said bully before she is introduced.* In ''[[Webcomic/M9Girls M9 Girls!]]'' Vero really wants to be included in the M9 team, while team leader Any keeps leaving her out.* In ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' it was [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2013-07-08 revealed]] that this is one of the motivations behind Diane's behavior toward Nanase - she just did a really bad job of going about it.* In ''Webcomic/{{Roommates}}'' Jareth tries really really hard to make friends and fit in with the other members of the main cast. The problem is: Two of them have {{Friendless Background}}s with not much desire to make friends, and Jareth a [[TheFairFolk highly alien nature]] and not much clue. It takes time, effort, and a whole lot of death threats, but they end up with a [[WithFriendsLikeThese somewhat dysfunctional]] but ultimately [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther real]] friendship.* In ''Webcomic/AvasDemon'', [[http://www.avasdemon.com/pages.php?page=0286 Ava makes it very clear to Wraitha that what she bargained for was a life with friends, and she will ruin Wraitha's part of the bargain if she doesn't get it.]]* Pluto in ''Webcomic/{{Nebula}}'' is torn between his desire for friends and his extreme shyness- unfortunately, by the time he musters up the courage to go talk to the rest of the cast (i.e., at least several centuries), they've decided that while he hasn't tried to pull something yet, they don't know anything about him and can't trust him. So they leave him out there alone. [[TheCorrupter And then he starts to hear a voice in his head...]] [[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]* The premise of the MGMOneshotCartoon "Little Gravel Voice"; the protagonist is a cute, friendly little donkey--who unfortunately suffers from having a bray so dreadfully obnoxious, that it scares away all the other animals he tries to make friends with. Ironically, his bray ends up harming and scaring away a hungry wolf, which earns him the friendship of the other animals—once they tie up his snout with his ears, of course.* ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'': A recurring plot with Meg. While she indeed has some friends -- geeky losers, just like her -- Meg clearly wants friends who belong to the popular group, including those associated with her arch-nemesis, Connie D'Amico.* The eponymous character of ''WesternAnimation/CasperTheFriendlyGhost'' desperately wants to have friends, something hard for him as everyone is scared of him because he is a ghost.* ''WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy'' has Jeff the Spider and Nergal.* Starfire from ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' was very lonely before joining the team, and still lonely even after she joined. When she thought she was being replaced by her sister Blackfire, it affected her deeply as she isn't very fond of losing friends. However, she's more worried that Robin might like Blackfire more than her.** Raven also qualifies. Though very solitary and anti-social, she truly wants friends and is very protective of the Titans once she considers them such. Just because it's true doesn't mean she'll ease up on Beast Boy, though.* Timmy Turner from ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents'' doesn't really have many friends (he has only two human friends). In one episode he pretended to be a cool rich kid to be accepted in Trixie Tang's social group, only to discover that he wasn't being loved for being himself but for the stuff he wished for.* Randall from ''WesternAnimation/{{Recess}}'' had this coupled with a HeelFaceTurn; though at [[StatusQuoIsGod the end he preferred being the teacher's pet]], abandoned all his friends; and had a FaceHeelTurn.* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'':** Toph. In her own words when she made her debut: "...I know you were just trying to protect me, but I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend."** Aang himself had this, despite being among the most social member of the main cast. When Sokka and Katara were going to abandon him looking for their dad, Aang hid their map because he was scared of being alone. This may be due to ''every friend he's ever had and everyone he knows'' (other than Katara, Sokka, and Bumi) has been dead for a hundred years, and most of them were burned to death in a genocide that started the global-scale war Aang has been charged with ending.** Azula thought she had friends, until "The Boiling Rock" where [[spoiler: her "friends" (who only ever hung around because she scared the crap out of them) betrayed her.]]. In the last episode, she [[spoiler: basically went insane out of paranoia because she was unable to trust anyone]].''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop'': [[NiceGuy PJ.]]* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'':** Candace in one episode believed her friends are ignoring her and she falls into this trope, replacing them and becoming the queen of Mars -- ItMakesSenseInContext. [[spoiler:At the end it turns out they weren't ignoring her, so she gets back with her friends]].** In another episode, she turned out to be a loner: She had an argument with Stacy, so she tried to call another friend. The problem was, the only contacts in her phonebook apart from Stacy were Candace's boyfriend, her mum and [[CrazyCatLady Crazy Dove Lady]].* ''MightyMax'' had Max having to work with a geeky kid who simply ''would not shut up.'' Turns out the kid's motivation was because he wanted friends, prompting Max to have to deliver a wake-up call for him.* ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''** Danny himself. Although he already has two best friends, he constantly has needs to fit in with the popular crowd. This becomes more apparent in the episode "Attack of the Killer Garage Sale". In "My Brother's Keeper", Jazz {{Lampshades}} this. He eventually gets better.** Klemper who unlike Danny doesn't get better from this (since he's only a minor character) and constantly asks anyone to be his friend.* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', Nelson is revealed to have no friends at all. Due to this, he becomes obsessed with Bart Simpson.** Lisa, DependingOnTheWriter, is sometimes portrayed as as a lonely outcast. * Surprising as it may seem, Eddy from ''WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy'' has this. Despite the fact he is a megalomaniac con-artist, it's actually a JerkassFacade, as he thought if he acted like his [[spoiler: older brother]], people would like him, when it actually has the opposite effect, although he does eventually realise this.* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'':** [[EnsembleDarkhorse Marceline]] the Vampire Queen is implied to be like this. She acts (at least in early seasons) AlwaysChaoticEvil, but is really well-meaning (as we see in "Henchman"). She's [[WhoWantsToLiveForever 1000 years old]] and the only people who are still around are her [[IHateYouVampireDad Dad]] and her [[JerkAss ex-boyf]][[StayInTheKitchen riend]] Ash. She's actually happy to find out that [[spoiler: Princess Bubblegum kept the shirt she gave her as pajamas in "What Was Missing" and when Finn reveals that she didn't lose anything and just wanted to hang out she gets [[OneWingedAngel mad]].]] This seems to have been [[CharacterDevelopment mostly cured]] as of her appearances in the last few seasons.** An idea on how well she interacts with people, her advice to Finn for talking to Princess Bubblegum in "Go With Me" is to [[WrestlerInAllOfUs wrestle]] her and set rabid wolves on her.** This is further supported by Marceline's song in "Marceline's Closet", which is "based on [[Really700YearsOld 500 years of journal entries]]," where she says that she'd talk about her friends, but she doesn't have any.** THE ICE KING. ALL of the crimes he commits relate to his desire for companionship.** In the Spanish dub of Adventure Time, Lemongrab is implied to be this. At the end, he mutters "No one loves me. Everyone hates me" while riding away from the kingdom. There could be some truth to that.* Princess Luna, in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''. She just wants to make friends with other ponies and be as well liked as her sister, but her intimidating demeanor, creepy motifs, social awkwardness, and hair trigger temper leave her ostracized. It was so bad a thousand years ago, that she literally [[EvilIsEasy became a monster]] to [[TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget deal with her feelings of loneliness and jealousy.]] The comics have it that her transformation was due to [[spoiler:her accepting the power of nightmare creatures who lived on the moon, after they [[TheCorrupter offered her the power to be loved by her subjects]]]]. The show has neither confirmed nor denied this version of events, only making reference to a "dark power" that Princess Luna had before Twilight and her friends cleansed her.** There's also ''[[spoiler:Discord]]'' in the episode "Keep Calm and Flutter On" when Fluttershy, [[spoiler:the only one of the Mane Six willing to put up with his antics and consider him a friend]], ends up pulling a RageQuit and trots off after he kept pulling pranks. It isn't until he goes into an ExplainExplainOhCrap that he realizes MyGodWhatHaveIDone-->[[spoiler:'''Discord:''']] ''(defeated)'' Well played, Fluttershy. Well played...* In ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyG3: Twinkle Wish Adventure'', this is Whimsey Weatherbe's reasoning both for kidnapping the wishing star Twinkle Wish and eventually for giving her back. She felt that by having Twinkle Wish that people would want to be with her and be her friend. She gave Twinkle Wish back when she realized that the ponies weren't going to stay and be friends with her because she was keeping Twinkle Wish.* This has become PorkyPig's main character trait in ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow''--he's so lonely that he puts up with constant abuse from DaffyDuck just because Daffy calls him a "friend". He even untied Daffy, after Daffy had bankrupted him completely and bought a yacht with his money, simply because he was sweet-talked and promised a hug.* [[CuteWitch Lucinda the witch]] from WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst is this. She wants friends very badly (spending much of her episode brooding about it in some fashion or another), and explains to Sofia that and the only reason she hexes people is because she comes from a family of witches and that's all they do. [[spoiler:She finally gains friends at the end of her episode after undoing all of her hexes and apologizing.]]* M'gann from WesternAnimation/YoungJustice. She was a White Martian who suffered extreme prejudice against her from the dominant green martian majority. Even after she achieved her dream of going to Earth, and even became part of a close-knit team, she was terrified of losing that friendship for any reason, and was willing to do some not-that-good things to keep them. She gets a little better as time goes on.* Emmet in ''WesternAnimation/TheLEGOMovie''. He's shown to be trying to connect with all of his neighbors and co-workers, and he's constantly eager to receive some sort of acknowledgement. He undergoes a HeroicBSOD when Bad Cop shows him video of the same neighbors and co-workers describing him as a mere acquaintance, unimportant, and in some cases [[MyNameIsNotDurwood not even remembering his name]].* The titular character in ''WesternAnimation/BojackHorseman'', is a selfish narcissist, jaded by Hollywood, AbusiveParents, and the guilt of [[spoiler: selling out his best friend]]. His bad attitude and increasingly desperate attempts to keep what few acquaintances he has close to him end up chasing most of them away until he's standing before he memoirist, the one person he's ever really opened up to but far from his best friend, [[TearJerker outright begging her to tell him that he's a good person]].* WesternAnimation/SouthPark: This is why Cartman turned out the way he did: his mother spoiled him to make up for the fact that she had no friends.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Real Life]]* This trope is how people get sucked into cults and even terrorist groups. They don't let you in on the really crazy stuff until your entire social circle is comprised of other members. At that point, walking away means abandoning all of your friends. Also, although not necessarily how they suck you in, some people do cite this as a reason for why they're reluctant to leave a more standard church. For many people, the people in their church consists of a large social circle of their friends.* Similarly, people will stay in bad or even abusive relationships because they're afraid to go back to being single.* On a more positive end of the spectrum, this is sometimes what coaxes people into joining the military. Depending on what unit they end up with, this can either end well or badly.[[/folder]]